Door-counterbalancing means



Feb. 4, 1930'.

G. E. PICKUP DOOR COUNTERBALANCING MEANS V Filed June 2l, 1928 WITH-1min ftrmnmrr 13621.75@ JZQJQUJQ w lPatented Feb. 4, 1930 FFHCE GEORGE E. PICKUP, OF NEWARK, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE WEIIRLE COMPANY, OF

` NEWARK, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO DOOR-COUV'NTERBALANCING MEAN S Application led .Tune 21, 1928.

The invention relates to improvements in counterbalancingmeans for stove doors and the like. f

Diiiiculty has been experienced with counterbalancing means as applied yto doors of present manufacture because ofthe proximity of the actuating springs to the source of heat within the stove or oven with attendant loss of temper. It is likewise common practice to locate the counterbalancing means within the side walls of the oven structure, thus rendering its'several members inaccessible for repair or replacement and complicatingas- Vsembly operations, with a resultant increase in manufacturing cost. l

Oney object of the invention is to provide a novel arrangement of the parts of a door counterbalancing'means in an oven structure permittingof the location of the spring ac- 2o tuating members remotely from the source of heat thus obviating the possibility of deteriplration `from continued exposure to the oven eat. f f x Another object of this invention is to pro- Videa new and improved counterbalancing device for the oven doors, all parts of which `are of simpleand inexpensive construction and adapted to be completely assembled to- Vgether with the doors on the door frame ,prior to vmounting of the door frame on the oven structure. f

y Still another object of the invention is to provide a torsion spring counterbalancing means for oven doors having operating arms which move in a plane 4close toy the plane of the door yframe and ,substantially parallel therewith.r

y Further objects andadvantages of thevinv ventionfwill be understood `,from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing'in which:

k- Figure 'l is a rear elevation of a door frame of fan oven structure having doors countervbalanced in accordance with the present invention. n

i Fig. 2 is a side` view of the oven shown iu Fig. l with one side cutr awayY to show the door Yhinges in section. l v

kFig. 3 is a plan view of the frame shown finFigl.. ,f f f Serial No. 287,061.

While I have shown in the drawings and will herein describe one embodiment of my invention for the purposes of illustration, I do not intend to be limited thereby to the form disclosed but aim to cover all modifications and alternative constructions falling within the scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims. i

As illustrated herein, the invention is embodied in an oven having a front frame with side members 5, top and bottom members 6 and 7 and an intermediate cross bar 8 connecting the side members and co-operating'respectively with the top and bottom members to define top and bottom door openings. These upper and lower openings afford access to the so-called baking and broiling oven spaces which are usually heated by one or more elongated burners shown at 8a, placed behind the door frame approximately at the level of the frame member 8, the heat being directed upwardly to the baking oven and downwardly to the broiling oven.

The openings are adapted to be closed by doors 9 having pins l0 projecting laterally from their side edges near the bottom thereof and pivotally supported in the side members 5 so that the doors will abut against the front faces of the frame around the door openings when the doors are in closed positions as shown in the drawings.

To retain the doors in closed position and to yieldingly resist swinging thereof to open position, a counterbalancing means lis provided, which, in its preferred form, comprises independent resilient means mounted on the door frame a substantial distance from the source of heat within the ovens, and operably connected to the respective doors eccentrical- 1y of the axes of their pivot pins l0.

. Thus it is possible to completely assemble all of its operating parts on the door frame prior to the mounting ofthe latter on the oven proper. Also the springs for both of the doors are located remotely from the source of oven heat. This .simple and inexpensive arrangement is madepossible by utilizing the effort ofk a coiled spring in torsion with its actuating arm movable substantially in the plane of the door frame and connected by a tension link to the door counterbalanced thereby.

In accordance with my invention, each resilient means comprises a coiled spring, the spring which counterbalances the upper door being represented at 11 in Fig. 1 and mounted with its axis perpendicular to the plane of the door, as for example, upon a stud 12 secured to and projecting rearwardly from the lower frame member 7. The ends of the spring form arms 13 and 14 extending at substantially right angles to its axis. The arm 13 extends inwardly along the lower frame member 7 and is held against movement by a stationary lug 15. The arm 14 projects outwardly in opposite direction along the frame member 7 terminating at a point substantially in vertical alignment with the vertical side edge of the lower door opening. Accordingly, a suitable tensile member in the form of a link 16 is employed to operatively connect the movable arm 14 of the spring 11 with the upper door. The link 16 is formed with a loop at its lower end which is received in a hook 18 formed at the outer end of the movable spring arm 14. f

The link 16 extends vertically along the side member 5 to avoid interference with the lower door opening 9 and is connected to the upper vdoor eccentrically of its axis through the medium of a crank arm 19 preferably formed integral with the side edge of the door and projecting inwardly therefrom through a slot 20 in the side member 5 of the frame. Near its extremity the arm 19 is formed with a hole for receiving the hooked upper end of the link 16. A shoulder Q1 may be formed on the arm 20 for engagement with the rear surface of the frame member 5 to limit the opening of the door to a horizontal position.

A similar spring 11a mounted on the opposite adjacent end of frame member 7 is utilized to counterbalance the lower door. In this instance such a spring'has its inwardly extending arm 13Il secured againstmovement by a lug 15a. An arm 14a extends outwardly along the frame member 7, terminating at a point substantially in vertical alignment with the adjacent vertical side edge of the lower door. This arm 14a is connected to the lower door by means of a relatively short link 1"?1 which is formed with a loop in its lower end engaging the 'hook 18a on the outer end of the arm 14. A hook on its upper end is received in a hole near the extremity of an eccentric arm 19et similar to that employed on the upper door.

' ysaid bottom member below said openingwith its axis disposed substantially perpendicular to the plane of said frame, one end of said spring being secured against rotation, the other end projecting laterally of the frame beyond one vertical side edge of the door opening, a link operatively connected to the vfree end of said movable arm and extending upwardly along one of said side members, and means connecting said link to said door eccentrically'of the axis thereof for applying the force of said spring to counterbalance saidY door.

2. An oven structure having, in combination, a frame comprising top, bottom and side members with an intermediate cross bar defining the door openings `of upper fand lower oven spaces, thevheatingunit Vfor said spaces being disposed substantially opposite said cross bar, doors for closing saidvopenings pivotally supported on. said iframe, andey independent counterbalancing' means for said doors comprising torsion springsmounted on opposite sides of said frame substantially below the lower opening and having anchored arms extending inwardly along said lower member and movable arms extending outwardly along said lower Vmember, and means extending along one side edge of the lower dooropening and connecting the movable arm of one spring with the upper door to counterbalance the same, and means for applying the :torce of the other spring to counterbalance the lower door.

3. An oven structure having, in combina tion, a front frame deiining door openings for i upper and lower oven spaces heated respectively rom below and from above by a common burner unit, a pair of doors each for other end movable in a plane substantiallyV parallel to the door opening, and means conf necting said movable end to Ysaid door for i urging said doortoward closedl position.

"5. The combination with a frame defining an oven opening, of Aa door pivotally supported on said frame forclosing said opening and counterbalancingY means therefor` comprising a coiled torsion spring mounted on said frame with its axis substantially perpendicular to the plane'thereof, means acting on one end ofthespring to prevent rotation thereof, and means operatively. connecting the other end of said spring to said door for applying the force of said spring to swing said door toward closed position.

6. In a stove front having a frame defining an oven opening, the combination of a door for closing said opening and counterbalancing means therefor, comprising a torsion spring mounted on one side of said frame below said opening and having a vertically movable actuating arm, and a link connecting said arm to said door for applying the force of said spring to urge said door to closed position.

y7. The combination with a frame defining an oven opening, of a door pivotally sup ported by said frame for closingsaidopening, and counterbalancing means therefor comprising a torsion spring mounted on said frame with its axis perpendicular to the plane thereof and having one end anchored, the other end movable in a plane substantially parallel to the door opening, and means connecting said movable end to said door to swing said door toward closed position.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto aii'ixed my signature.

GEORGE E. PICKUP. 

